


the day you make everything better

by NepetaLeijon27



Series: falling is like flying [A3 Madoka AU] [4]
Category: A3! (Video Game), Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Girls, Explicit Language, Gen, Magical Boys, POV Second Person, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26102857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NepetaLeijon27/pseuds/NepetaLeijon27
Summary: all flowers eventually wither.
Series: falling is like flying [A3 Madoka AU] [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676620
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

'Wait. Looks like someone is already here.' You stop in your tracks after having entered the barrier. 

'Correction. Had been here before they got taken.' Zen also sees the man lying on the barrier ground you remarked before.

Hiro kneels down and touches the man's wrist. He frowns. 'The man's still alive. He'll manage. Let's get to the witch, then!' 

You crack a smile. 'Never change, Hiro.' As he laughs back, the four of you move on to the center. You still feel as if there was something off about the man, but you force it out of your head.

'You have any idea as to where the center room's supposed to be?' Zen asks you just as you use your magic to deal with the familiars. A bunch of roots cleaves several of them in two.

You shake your head. 'No clue.'

''s Over there.' Syu points at an inconspicuous 'door' with his thumb. His voice is as dry as ever.

Hiro shares a glance with him. 'Want me to set it alight?' 

'No. We can't get in that way. Let me handle this.' Before Syu can say something back, Zen steps forward and slashes it open with a blade that didn't exist a few seconds ago. Light comes from the new opening, and you get in.

As he gets the first few glimpses of the witch, Hiro lights a fire in his hands. You see that. 

'Stay away from me, Hiro!'

'No prob!' He winks as a response, and then moves towards the other side of the barrier. You focus on the base of the center and touch it as much as a second. Immediately, a large, sprawling tree emerges from the ground. 

'Good job, Kasumi!'

You think that that is Zen's voice, but you do not have time to say anything back, as you notice that the witch is retaliating. 

'...oh hell no.'

You dodge a few attacks and then touch the newly grown tree again. It continues to grow right through your target. 

'...I just hope that Hiro doesn't burn the thing...' you think, but Hiro seems to know what he is doing. Syu gestures and a stream of water flows towards the witch, also feeding the tree. 

'Thanks!' Before you utter the 's' at the end of that, you see that the witch disappeared and the barrier is dissipating. Instead of to the Grief Seed, your thoughts go back to the man you found earlier.

'...that man. Is he doing okay?'

Hiro picks up the Grief Seed as he transforms back. You and the others obediently follow. 'You're still thinking about him?' he asks.

'Well, I was just kinda worried the witch or one of the familiars got to him...' You scratch the back of your head.

Suddenly, you hear something behind you.

'There's no need to worry, I'm all right!'

You turn around. 'You're...' The man you saw unconscious is standing behind you. He doesn't look hurt at all.

'...Tachibana Yukio.', He introduces him as he shows you his Soul Gem. 'Puer Magi.'

Hiro looks at you, and you look back. 'Then, how...?' You can read from his face that the same questions that bother you, are also bothering him.

'I'm sorry for playing that little reality trick on you.', He laughs innocently. 'But I saw you four. And I know that you are what this city needs.' 

'What the hell do you mean?' Zen is apparently kind of fed up with the cryptic stuff Yukio is talking about.

'You all come from different Districts, right?' he verifies.

You nod. 'That's right. Hiro's from the South, Zen's from the West, Syu's from the North, and me, Kasumi, I'm from the East.'

Yukio laughs. 'Did you ever notice that your magic matches the direction you're from?' 

'...direction...?' You get on it and notice that it has something to do with astrology. But not the ways of reading the sky. Or maybe it does. You have no idea.

'Even if it does, what does that have to do with anything?' Syu asks rightfully. 

Yukio shrugs. 'Come with me.' As he asks you to follow him, you look at the others with a questioning look in your face. Zen makes an expression that says: 'I don't know either, but I'm curious'.

As you follow him, he goes on a bit more. 'I have been leading all of the Puer Magi in the districts on my own.', he explains. 'But the problem is...'

'...that it gives you a hell of a headache?' Hiro finishes his sentence.

He laughs. 'Haha, that too. The real problem is that all Districts are so different from eachother, and when trouble came, sometimes I had to come up with a solution that did not fit the people there. I was born and raised in the Centre, you know. In here.' He points at the ground.

'...and it gives you a hell of a headache too. I get it!' Hiro doesn't seem to get his mind off of that.

Yukio stops, and enters a gate. Soon, you see a small greenhouse. He sits down, and gestures to say that you can do that too. 'That talks a little easier, now, doesn't it?' You nod - the chair is fairly comfortable.

'What are you getting on to?' Syu asks him. 

'The Puer Magi in the Districts need Leaders.' 


	2. Chapter 2

'I knew it! Well, sign me up! I always wanted to be a leader!' Hiro immediately gets enthusiastic without even hearing what Yukio wants him to do exactly. 

'You might be. But I'm not yet so warm about the idea...' On Syu's face is an expression of doubt. 

Yukio adjusts his position in his chair. 'Well, there's at least someone who's looking forward to it. It doesn't hurt me to tell you what it entails. The Puer Magi in each District are a member of a Faction. There's four Factions for four Districts.'

'Hm-hm.', Zen nods. 'Except for us, but I think that that is because we met eachother in the Centre.' 

'The Factions aren't that big. Six people, tops, including an eventual Leader. But, that totals twenty-four. I'd rather have four Leaders to handle their problems. Not to say I'm fully abandoning my responsibilities. I just want to have some peace and quiet at my head.'

'Everyone deserves that.', Syu is on the fence of it. You're also considering the offer. 'Why did you choose us in particular?'

Yukio clears his throat. 'As a first, you already seem to know eachother. It's not every day that I see a team not from the same Faction fighting together. I guess you are friends.'

'We are.' Zen confirms that. 

'As mutual Leaders, you already know eachother. That helps in the general flow of the Factions. If I would pick people at random, then I would have a bad time at getting them to work together.'

You can see that. 'And you were saying something about directions?'

'I did.', he closes his eyes. 'In traditional astrology, the North is associated with water. The same goes for the East and wood, the South and fire, and the West with metal.'

You look at the ring around your left hand. '...huh.' 

'You fighting together like this must be a hell of a coincidence, then.' 

A man appears standing next to Yukio. He has purple hair and purple eyes. You don't recognize him, but Syu looks surprised.

'You?' 

'Syu! So long, buddy! I take it that you're still not much for touching, huh?' The two seem to be acquainted. Syu nods. 

'Then I won't hug you. Actually, I just wanted to visit Yukio, but it seems like I got into your conversation...' He has a soft voice, you remark.

'Doesn't matter.', Yukio smiles. 'Indirectly, this is also about you.'

He sits down next to Yukio. 'I get it that you have found Leaders?' Yukio nods, and you introduce yourself one by one. Of course, Syu doesn't need to have one. 

'Pleased to meet you too! I'm Reni Kamikizaka. I already know Syu from school...', He looks at Syu, who nods. 'And I'm a friend of Yukio's, too.'

You don't know yet what to think of this man, but you do think that he makes a kind impression. 'Does that mean we're Leaders now?' Zen looks at Hiro.

'I may hope so!'

Syu sighs. 'Oh, god, here we go...'


	3. Chapter 3

In contrast to what you think Syu expected, the job isn't all that taxing to you. Or maybe it is because all the Puer Magi in the Eastern Faction are kind. You don't know what it is. A few months pass by, until, one day, you notice that you can't clean your Soul Gem anymore. You don't know what to do, so you decide to pay Yukio a visit.

'...seriously?'

'I made my choice, Reni.' _Reni and Yukio, arguing_? You know that eavesdropping isn't good, but you quietly move closer so you can pick up more of it. 

'I get that their magic matching up is a nice bonus, and you DO have more rest at your head, but-'

'Then, why are you still griping on about this?'

'You don't even know them. Not that long ago, they were just strangers! We both have no way of knowing if they'll manage it even after we're gone!'

'I trust in their capability. They have not caused any problems yet, or did they?'

'You don't get it!', Reni screams, and you immediately feel a wave of dark energy emanating from it. You gasp. 

'It's not about that at all! The Yukio I know would never leave something this important to complete amateurs!'

'Amateurs, Reni? The fighting of witches is not a paid job!'

'You are so stupid, Yukio! The point is that you don't see the importance of this issue!'

'And your problem is that you never learn to appreciate what you have! You're headed for ruin, Reni.'

'Fine! It was a mistake talking to you to begin with! Do what you want!' You hear a door slamming, and you realize Reni left. You carefully move towards Yukio.

'...Yukio?' you ask with a soft voice.

Yukio sighs deeply, and sits down in one of the chairs of the greenhouse. 'It's not your fault, Kasumi.'

'I know it's not.', you say. 'What is going to happen to Reni? Is he going to turn into a witch this soon?'

'I hope not.', Yukio shakes his head. 'If he does, we're all doomed. If you have been listening to us all this time, then you certainly must have felt that energy too.'

You nod. 'Yeah. I'm sorry for eavesdropping, though I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. I actually came for an issue, but I hope that I can resolve it myself.'

It remains silent for a while. Just Yukio and you, sitting in a greenhouse, staring at the blooming cherry blossoms. Suddenly, Yukio speaks up.

'You know, we, having made a contract, are just like flowers, as we have limited time. Our lifespan depends on the hope we have, just like flowers need enough water and light to make the most of their short lifespan. However, during that short time, they are of absolute necessity for life, no matter which way you slice it.'

'That...makes a frightening bit of sense.' You realize that this short bout of Yukio being poetic makes actual sense.

Yukio looks at the ground. 'But, eventually...did you realize that our Soul Gems are in the shape of seeds? We will eventually fall to the ground, and our worst self will be born. That will happen to any of us at a given time.'

'Do you think that that time is near for Reni?'

He sighs deeply once again. 'I think so, yeah. But also, for me, I might be...'

'What do you mean?'

'Nevermind.' In the corner of your eyes, you spot the gem inside Yukio's ring clouding over.


	4. Chapter 4

You run back to the base of your Faction, a glass palace that reflects rainbows when light falls on it. Once you're there, Yuzo has waited for you.

'Yuzo, it's...' 

'Don't worry. I'm here.', he says. 'What is happening?'

You tell Yuzo what you overheard, and what Yukio told you. 

'And what do you want to do now?' he asks you. 

You shake your head. 'No idea. I just...gotta think it over, I guess...' You shrug and walk to your personal room. There, you open the channel Yukio had set up for you and the other Leaders. It does not take long for you to explain it to them.

 **Hinamori🌸** _Today at 14:34_

so yeah everything as we know it may be ending

 **🌻hiro** _Today at 14:34_

what the hell

 **Zen** 🍂 _Today at 14:35_

That may not be the only thing that'll be ending though.

My Soul Gem is dirty, and I can't clean it anymore either.

 **Hinamori🌸** _Today at 14:35_

you too??

oh no

 **❄Syu** _Today at 14:35_

Everything is coming to an end.

 **🌻hiro** _Today at 14:35_

syu dont tell me your soul gem is dark too!!

 **❄Syu** _Today at 14:36_

...

You wipe away a tear with your sleeve. '...I...I don't want to...become a witch...' Soon, one tear becomes two, and more stream down your face. You can't even read the screen clearly anymore. Then, you decide to at least end everything well. And after reading all the cries worrying about you, you message:

 **Hinamori🌸** _Today at 14:38_

lets all meet by Yukio

at least we'll see eachother and we'll die with dignity

 **❄Syu** _Today at 14:38_

Let's do that.

 **🌻hiro** _Today at 14:39_

yeah

 **Zen** 🍂 _Today at 14:39_

I'll make my way to his house right now. 

You don't respond back and immediately leave the base. On your way to it, you make sure to pay extra attention to the beauty of the Eastern District. This may just be the last time you see it.


	5. Chapter 5

'Yukio! We...'

As you find Yukio still in the greenhouse, you already find the others standing next to him.

'Kasumi, thank god...' Hiro sighs.

Yukio shakes his head. 'No need to explain, they already told me. But I can try something. I'm not promising it works at all.'

'What is that?'

He breathes in deeply. 'You already know that I can manipulate the earth and reality to some extent. I can try to, well...give us a different ending.'

'How?' Hiro is dying to know as well.

'I can try to seperate your souls from your despair. You'll pass on, but you won't be able to leave the city, because I cannot fully remove your barrier.'

You think about that. 'Will our barriers manifest?' you ask, still unsure of this.

'No.', Yukio says. 'But just like a witch cannot leave its barrier, as I said, you cannot leave this town.'

'You can try it, for my part.', Zen decides. 'And if it fails, then at least we'll be together in our last moments. Right?' You just nod in response.

'What about Reni?' Syu asks him, and you remember the dark energy that was in Reni.

Yukio shakes his head. 'He has made his choice.' You just hope he will be alright, then.

'Well, then I say you can try too.' you say when looking at the ground. 

'Same. I just wanna survive!' Hiro's will to survive has always been the strongest of you all. 

'...I want to live.' Syu implies he also wants Yukio to try this, and makes you reconsider the statement that Hiro's will is the strongest.

Yukio transforms. 'I only have one chance.'

You instinctively reach for Hiro's hand. He seems to have gotten the message and soon, you four form a circle around Yukio, who is holding his Soul Gem in his hands.

Suddenly, a bright light emanates from Yukio's Soul Gem. It spreads out to your own, and to that of the others. You have no idea if that is a good thing, but not long after, you feel something strange. 

'What...' 

The taint disappears from your Soul Gem, and you feel as before it happened. _I feel so light._

Then, you realize, that your awareness is no longer inside your Soul Gem or your body. 

_I really became a spirit?_

Your thoughts race back. One by one, you see the spirits of your friends leaving their Soul Gems as well, and the others mildly freaking out about their non-corporeal state.

'We're...' You still can't quite wrap your head around the fact that it worked. 

'Ghosts...' Zen looks at his lifeless body on the ground, next to Hiro and Syu's. Their hands are still joined. And in the middle...

'Yukio!' you shout. His spirit leaves just as a young lady walks in with a distraught expression on her face. _That must be his daughter_. _She just looks like him._ You don't know what to do, but before you can tell Yukio anything, his spirit moves towards his daughter. Nothing strange seems to happen.

'Dad...what happened...?' You want to explain to her what it was, but she doesn't seem to see you at all. 'She can't see us.', you say to the others. 'Just our bodies.'

She gasps as she falls down to her knees. As she puts her hands on the ground, it shakes as if there is suddenly an earthquake. 

'...Earth powers...?' Syu mumbles. 

Zen figures it out. 'Yukio must have granted her his powers this way.'

'Speaking about that, I wonder what happened to our despair.'

'You want to find out?', Zen asks you. Your voices are as light as air now. 'We can float freely now anyway.'

You nod. 'I think I can trace it.' You leave the greenhouse and see the city from above for the first time. _Never knew that the Districts are so easily to distinguish from above_ , you wonder. But you can't allow yourself to be distracted. You feel the leftover despair as a concentrated stream.

Suddenly, it comes to a standstill by Reni.

'Reni...?' In his room, he is talking to himself. His movements are unnatural and frantic.

'Leave me! Please, go away!'

'You belong to me now, Reni. Thanks to that spell, I can't be born. But that's all the more time to-'

'Just leave me...'

 _What the hell is happening here_ , you ask yourself, until you realize that all the despair from you, your friends and Yukio must have found a new home in Reni. Before, you have discovered that witches can speak even when they aren't yet born, in dreams. But this, this is different...

You can't stand looking at it much longer. But his constant movement seems to be slowing down.

'Yukio, I'm sorry...'

After that last whisper, he falls on his bed like a doll. A few seconds later, he stands back up, with a very different look in his eyes. 

'I am going to break down every work of Yukio there is...for as sure as my name is Talulah.'


End file.
